


I Am Number Four

by Anannua



Category: Naruto
Genre: Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, F/M, Falling In Love, Gay, M/M, Mild Smut, Multi, Pining, Polyamory, Romance, Trans Character
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-10-23
Updated: 2019-11-08
Packaged: 2020-12-31 15:48:56
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 5
Words: 13,531
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21148232
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Anannua/pseuds/Anannua
Summary: Obito is Polyamorous, which means he's dating other people, and Kakashi's totally okay with that.Mostly.





	1. Chapter 1

“I’m poly, so, that means I’m dating other people besides you. You’re sure you’re okay with that?”

It’s said in passing. Kakashi is paying attention, promise, it’s just, Obito’s thighs are all smooth muscle and taut flesh, and he’ll agree to just about anything to get permission to hook his arms up under them and bend the other man in half.

So he says yeah, sure, I’m game, and then Obito makes this beautiful sound as Kakashi hammers him against the wall in his apartment.

It’s not until they’re winding down from two truly mind-blowing orgasms that Kakashi begins to grasp the scope of what this may mean.

Obito, half-dazed with pleasure, pulls away from the skin of Kakashi’s shoulder as he hears a knock on the door. He rolls off the bed and grabs a towel to wrap around his waist. Kakashi doesn’t think anything of it until there’s another voice in the apartment that isn’t Obito’s.

Kakashi blinks. He knows that voice.

Shaking his head, he throws on his pants and heads to the hallway, creeping around the corner to catch sight of whoever is at Obito’s door. The two of them turn as he steps out of Obito’s room, and the girl at the door gasps.

“Ah! You have company. You should have said!”

Kakashi can’t believe his eyes.

“Rin?”

The brown-haired girl smiles brightly and waves at him. “Nice to see you again, Kakashi.”

He can only sort of tilt his head back at her. It’s more than a little strange to see the sweet, nice girl from his neighborhood now in her early twenties, wearing a cute crop top and a short skirt, who he knows for a fact had a huge crush on him before he left to join the military, now hanging off Obito’s arm.

Obito has this look, like he’s a second away from bursting his gut laughing at the two of them.

“You’ve met already,” he observes with no small amount of amusement.

“Childhood friends,” Rin agrees, tucking her bangs back behind an ear. “We grew up on the same street.”

Kakashi manages to not bite his lip. He’s not really looking forward to this weird confrontation. It’s very obvious, from the bite marks along Kakashi’s neck and shoulders and their state of undress that they’re just finished fucking. Is Rin jealous? Upset? She’s hiding it well if she’s anything other than faintly turned on by the sight of two mostly naked handsome (hot) guys.

Obito catches the look before he suppresses it entirely.

“Rin, darling, I’m sorry to do this to you, but let’s reschedule? Let me take you out for coffee after two?”

“Sure,” she says, and leans in to kiss Obito’s lips.

All Kakashi can think about is how those same lips were wrapped around the head of his cock not half an hour ago and his brain sort of dies.

“So, you have other partners,” he says after Rin leaves with an impish wink in their direction.

“Yeah. Didn’t I mention?”

You did, but I was busy fucking you against the wall and wasn’t really paying attention, Kakashi doesn’t say.

Instead he grabs his tank top up off the floor. There’s a hand sliding over the skin of his shoulder before he can pull his shirt on over it. Obito’s face looks serious for an instant, and the line of his lips take up Kakashi’s full attention.

“Does that bother you?”

Kakashi thinks about the cheeky smirk Rin gave him from the doorway. She’s not really all up in their business, and he’s clearly not bothering the two of them. Besides, he and Obito have hardly had time to put labels on what they are to each other.

So his honest answer is, “No. Not really.”

Obito’s eyes consider him for a moment before giving way to a bright grin.

+

Obito is uncomplicated. He’s honest, straightforward in a way Kakashi can really appreciate when they’re in the heat of things and he doesn’t have to guess what to do to make Obito come undone under him.

That’s not to say he’s not complex. There are plenty of layers to Obito, but they’ve only slept together a handful of times, and Kakashi isn’t sure that’s enough to build a relationship on.

And yet something about Obito draws him in.

He likes the way Obito is vocal, says his name in a gust of hot air near his ear when they’re grinding down together between getting out of their clothes. He likes the look of Obito most of the time, and hey, purely physical attraction is key in the type of romances that have been immortalized (see such timeless classics including Sleeping Beauty, as well as Romeo and Juliet).

Most importantly, perhaps, Kakashi likes the way Obito smells.

He’s very sensitive to smell. So sensitive that he’s obtained a medical release to wear those white medical face masks in public, inside and outside of pollen season. He can’t stand certain smells, to the point that too much interaction with a certain aroma will give him migraines, attacking his sinuses and ruining the next several hours.

Obito smells _good_.

There’s something he can’t quite quantify. It’s something deeper than the shampoo he uses, or the cologne he occasional wears. It’s under his skin, in his blood, something intrinsic to Obito’s person that Kakashi can’t get enough of.

There’s a list of people’s scents he can tolerate and Obito has jumped to the top.

Besides, the sex is really good, so Kakashi finds his phone and looks up the address of where the other man works.

+

“So. You’re dating Rin?”

Obito glances up from the espresso machine and Kakashi is blinded momentarily by his effervescent smile.

When he can see (and hear) again, he realizes Obito has replied.

“Yes,” the dark-haired man repeats, half-laughing and sensing somehow that Kakashi didn’t catch him the first time. “We’re dating.”

“Did you meet her the same way you met me?”

Obito snickers.

“I obviously didn’t pick her up at the gay bar.”

Kakashi has the sense to be mildly ashamed at the stupidity of phrasing it that way. “Obviously,” he agrees, and accepts his cappuccino. “What I meant is, how did you meet her?”

“She works at the library,” Obito says over the squeal of steaming, frothing milk. “She took a double shift and needed a latte. When she left she had her latte and my number.”

Kakashi’s eyebrows jump up into his hair. That doesn’t sound like the shy, quiet girl he grew up with.

Obito hands out a mocha latte to the customer besides Kakashi, a blonde girl with bright blue eyes. He spares Kakashi a smile, half as radiant as the first but still captivating, before moving on to his next coffee. The silver-haired man sips his own drink thoughtfully.

“You been dating her long?”

“Just a week.”

“Do you think you’ll keep dating her?”

“Who can say? She’s a sweet girl, and she doesn’t mind that I have like four other partners, and finding that kind of open-mindedness is super rare, y’know? So I hope so, but if things don’t work out, I won’t be super heartbroken about it.” He pauses to call out a drink order. “Well. Not for too long, I think.”

“Hmm.”

_Four other partners._ The phrase stands out of Obito’s rambling and sits at the surface of Kakashi’s thoughts for a minute.

He’s not sure how he feels, first of all, because he and Obito are barely acquainted. Though, if he’s being honest, he’s more and more curious about what they could be.

But everything so far has been casual. The sex is good, and Obito makes a great omelet in the mornings if he stays the night, and there’s no hard feelings if Kakashi goes a couple of days without texting him because he’s busy with work. There’s no labels so there’s no expectations, nothing complicated. Just hot, steamy hook ups and occasional booty calls, when it’s convenient for the both of them.

So far, the thought of sharing Obito hasn’t really hit home, because Kakashi himself isn’t too involved. He’s considering, as he watches Obito pour steamed milk over shots of espresso with an endearing look of absolute concentration and finds it makes the other man look unbelievably adorable, that maybe he could be a little more invested in this relationship.

He can admit to himself that he’s fairly comfortable with Obito.

Maybe he even likes him, a little.

So, maybe, he should have an interest in the other parts of Obito, such as ‘four other partners’.

Despite this perfectly logical conclusion, Kakashi doesn’t ask just yet. He sips his drink and watches Obito chat with customers and lets the thought simmer in the back of his mind.

“If you have time, I have some free time in forty-five minutes,” Obito says mildly, eyes lingering in the direction of Kakashi’s lips as he pours up another latte. “I have a lunch break.”

Kakashi makes an interested noise as he comes back out of his thoughts.

“Aa. Do you?”

“I do.”

“I might have some time to get food.”

“I was hoping,” Obito says in a lower voice, with bedroom eyes, “to get something that could _fill me up_. To tide me over, til I get off, after six?”

Kakashi is aware he’s licking his lips.

“I see.”

“Mm. Coffee, for Carolyn? Thank you, dear! Come again.” Obito waves and then turns to face Kakashi. “So. Lunch, later?”

“I’ll be there.”

+

They barely make it inside the bathroom stall. The door clicks locked right before Kakashi slams Obito up against it.

“Fuck me,” Obito snarls.

Kakashi groans as the demand goes straight to his dick, already half-hard from Obito’s earlier groping as they stood in line for take away. “Get out of your clothes, then.”

“Nah,” Obito snorts, tossing his head back and licking his lips, “It’s better if you take off just enough to get inside of me.”

“You’re incorrigible,” Kakashi informs him, failing to mention that dirty talk is one of his biggest weaknesses, though his cheeks light up and give him away.

Obito takes note and continues to talk.

“Kakashi. I _want_ you,” he practically purrs, “I want your hands _all over me_. I want you to grab my hips and fuck me on your cock until I come all over the walls—“

There’s a strangled sound. Kakashi’s fingers are a blur, and then Obito’s pants are being shoved down his thighs as he’s pressed up against the bathroom wall. His eyes flutter at the sensation of something thick and heavy pressing up against the sensitive skin of his exposed ass.

Obito laughs low in his throat.

“Oh? That do it for ya?”

Kakashi is too busy sucking his fingers for spit to say, yes, goddamn it, that does it for him, but he ruts up against Obito’s ass with his throbbing dick, smearing pre-cum on Obito’s skin, and that’s answer enough.

Obito’s laughter echoes in the bathroom until Kakashi gets to his request.

They wander out of the stall twenty two minutes later. Obito looks thoroughly sexed-up and satisfied like a cat with cream. He wobbles a bit, legs still a bit shaky. Kakashi isn’t nearly as embarrassed as he thought he might be to be seen walking out of the same restroom. He even enjoys the mildly scandalized look an older gentleman shoots them as Obito adjusts his shirt.

“That was great,” Obito says airily as they walk back toward the cafe he works at. “I’d let you keep me there all day if I didn’t have to go back to work.”

Kakashi considers the way Obito’s body felt clenched around him, furiously hot.

He would love another opportunity to fuck Obito’s brains out. He’s not doing anything else tonight; might as well be doing Obito.

“I have some free time after you get off,” he offers tentatively.

Obito offers him a lackadaisical look.

“Sorry! I have a date with Rin later tonight. Maybe tomorrow?”

Aa. Kakashi blinks away his disappointment. That’s right. He’s not the only one vying for a bit of Obito.

Four other partners.

“Sorry. I didn’t know you already had plans.”

He tries not to let the flash of jealousy rise up in his throat too high. Obito might hear and then what would he do? They’re not together, not really. They’re just hooking up. He doesn’t have any right to stake claim on Obito’s time.

But he could.

“It’s fine. I totally would, except Rin and I have movie tickets! We’re going to see that new thriller at the theater downtown.”

He pauses a moment and fiddles with his phone. It’s almost long enough for Kakashi to ask what’s bothering him, and then Obito pipes up, “Do you want to come, too?”

The silver-haired man shakes his head.

“You’ve got a date,” he says.

“I don’t think Rin would mind,” Obito mentions off-hand, eyebrows waggling suggestively, “She’s kind of into guy-on-guy, if that wasn’t obvious from how she was drooling over us the other day.”

Kakashi blinks as that bit of information hits home. So she was staring. Huh.

It's still far too early for Kakashi to be getting in between Obito and his other partners, though, so he shakes his head and turns Obito down. 

“I don’t want to be in her way.”

Obito shrugs. “Your loss. Thanks for lunch! Call me?”

Kakashi shrugs back and tries not to feel so much. It’s casual.

“Sure.”

Obito grins at him and before Kakashi can casually walk away he’s kissing him, deep and with tongue, with a hand wrapping them together at the waist and fingers twisting into the hair at the base of his neck, lips pressing sweet and smooth over his, and it feels anything but casual.

When they pull apart for air Kakashi can only nod in a daze as Obito takes off with that sunny grin of his.

He's still staring a bit after Obito has disappeared down the street. 

“What am I getting myself into.”


	2. Chapter 2

They meet again in two days. A lot of Obito’s time is taken up by his other partners. Kakashi tries not to let the thought get to him; he’s got a life, too.

Except.

It’s all Kakashi has been able to think about: the smirk at the edge of Obito’s mouth, the way he cusses when Kakashi pulls his hair when they fuck, his eyes, his face, his lips, the way that he smells that Kakashi just can’t get enough of.

Okay. Maybe he’s interested, a little.

They make small talk for five minutes before one of them snarls at an insult, spitting and cussing and there’s a tussle, that turns into fumbling, that turns into fucking, and then they’re sprawled out against Obito’s sheets again.

Kakashi likes the sex, but then, he’s had a lot of sex. It’s these moments after that he finds himself more and more addicted to.

Obito looks so good when he’s coming. He also looks good after he’s been fucked out, when his chest rises and falls erratically as they try to catch their breath. He smells amazing covered in sweat and his own personal aroma.

Obito also has this thing where, after sex, he demands cuddle time, which Kakashi thought he wouldn’t want any part of, but is becoming more and more integral to his own tastes. It’s nice to have Obito’s body cleaved to his. The way Obito demands his attention, seeks his side and plasters himself up against Kakashi’s body? It makes him feel _wanted_.

It’s good for Kakashi, in a way nothing has been for years and years.

It’s nice to just be next to him and, in the quiet moments just after, they can lean their heads in and just share breath.

Of course, the silence is only a temporary reprieve, because Obito cannot keep his mouth shut. The dark-haired man mentions in these moments the pieces of Kakashi he likes the most; his funky hair, silver since birth, his pale skin, his mismatched eyes. He talks about his job sometimes, how coffee is his passion, how his family is a bag of dicks for demanding he be a lawyer like every other Uchiha in existence, and laughs uproariously when Kakashi says they can go fuck themselves. Kakashi doesn’t usually talk much but he tells Obito eventually that he can’t get enough of how Obito smells, which makes Obito laugh again, which is another thing Kakashi can’t get enough of.

If he could get by with just Obito’s smell and the sound of his laugher, Kakashi thinks he wouldn’t need to eat again for the rest of his life.

That’s the thought that really makes Kakashi pause and evaluate himself.

Okay. Maybe he’s interested, a lot.

It’s a dangerous thing to let yourself fall so hard for someone else, but Kakashi’s never let a little thing like danger deter him.

He’s leaning in for a kiss when there’s a buzzing sound. Obito flips over and grabs his phone from the bed side.

“Hey! You didn’t say you’d be in for another two days!”

Still in Kakashi’s arms, Obito’s entire demeanor changes at once. His body goes a bit rigid, muscles tense and hot, and Kakashi belatedly realizes Obito is getting red in the neck with what appears to be anger.

“Are you at the airport _right now_? Shit, fuck, of course I was gonna come get you, you asshat! I was supposed to have two more days! Shut, up, _uh_. Fine! Look. Let me, shit, no, don’t call an Uber. Fuck that. I’ll be at the airport in twenty. Fuck you, too!”

Kakashi raises a single eyebrow as Obito throws the phone on the bed.

“That wasn’t Rin,” he guesses.

The other man looks offended. “What? Hell no! Do you think I’d ever talk to a lady like that?”

“You cussed out that one chick, at the bar when I met you,” Kakashi points out as Obito does a barrel roll out of bed and starts throwing on clothes.

“Hana’s different. She likes rough verbal foreplay. Bitch on the streets, bitch in the sheets. She’s a wild lay.”

Kakashi wrinkles his nose a bit. “I don’t need to know that.”

“Sorry,” Obito throws over his shoulder, completely unapologetic as he’s pulling on pants.

Kakashi realizes, as Obito does up the silver buttons on a black silk vest, that he’s putting on really, _really_ nice clothes.

He sits up incredulously at the sight of pinstripes and cufflinks.

“Going somewhere fancy?”

“Picking up my prissy ass shark-toothed boyfriend,” Obito says with an air of sufferance. “He got in two days earlier than expected. Bastard was supposed to text me when his business trip was done! He knows it takes like half an hour to dress up the way he likes. Every time I think I’ve got through to him he goes and does this. I know he's just trying to be romantic but he never gives me time to get ready! I thought we were _done_ with this bullshit.”

Something goes tight in Kakashi’s chest.

He’s been fooling himself, trying to think that labels don’t matter, that casual is enough. But casual with Obito is a slippery slope. He’s only realizing, now, as the sound of ‘boyfriend’ grates in his mind like nails against a chalkboard, that’s he’s invested beyond casual at this point. It feels suddenly like he’s the odd one out.

It matters, and it _hurts_.

“You have a boyfriend?”

“I have two boyfriends and a girlfriend,” Obito says a little testily as he’s lacing leather shoes with a little more force than strictly necessary. “I’ll tell you all about them later but right now I’m late, and Kisame’s more of a dick the more you make him wait, so here.”

Reflexes have Kakashi snatching the keys out of the air before they smack him in the face.

“Keys to my apartment,” Obito says as he grabs a coat and heads for the door. “I’ll be back in two hours, because Kisame will want a fancy date to go with his fancy clothes. Help yourself to anything, lock up when you’re done, or stay, either way, it’s fine.”

Kakashi feels a hot spike of insult as he sits up, alone, still naked in the sheets.

“And I’ll just wait for you here, then, shall I?”

Obito looks at him like he’s crazy.

“Fuck no. You’ve got a life, don’t you?”

Kakashi blinks. Of course he does. But before he can mention how he might like Obito to be a more permanent part of it the other man is shouting into his phone at his boyfriend and disappearing out the door.

He stares at the door for a bit. Eventually he shifts to staring at the keys in his hand.

Maybe he isn’t totally ready for dating someone who’s dating other people, he thinks as he searches for his jeans.

+

They text.

It’s a valid form of communication between any two people who may or may not be in a relationship.

Obito is like a teenager, sending strings of Emojis and series of memes from the internet. Kakashi sends back single word replies, just to keep the conversation going, or the occasional snarky remark.

It’s in this method of communication that Kakashi learns about the partner he’s been ditched for.

Kisame Hoshigaki is one of Obito’s oldest and most permanent partners. Others have come and gone, like Konan and Hayate, but apparently Kisame has been around since nearly the beginning.

Kakashi learns that Kisame is one of the first partners to ever accept that Obito has wanted to date multiple people at the same time. Kakashi wonders how that interaction went, but having only ever been monogamous, he’s not sure he’d entirely understand, even if Obito told him the story of how that all went down.

Kisame is also apparently involved in some nefarious and completely illegal business that pays super well for people to go missing, thus, he has access to literal boatloads of cash, with which he likes to take Obito out to fancy dinner dates at preposterously expensive places.

Kakashi tries not think about what they get up to in the bedroom, but the thought inevitably occurs.

He distracts himself by answering the barrage of text messages Obito has assaulted him with.

‘He got me a bike’  
‘I can’t fucking believe it’  
‘This shark-toothed mother fucker’  
‘Actually went to Japan and got me a goddamn bike’  
‘Where am I gonna keep it’

Kakashi tries not to roll his eyes. For all that he enjoys Obito, sometimes the other man is a little too much.

‘Maybe the same place you keep your scooter?’

His phone lights up with a picture of Obito’s dinner. It’s fancy as hell. There’s fillet mignon, a whole wild salmon, lamb chops nestled amongst an assortment of vegetables, all slathered in sauce or fresh herbs, among other dishes he can’t identify straight away. There’s not one but two open wine bottles and an unopened bottle of champagne on ice sitting table side. It looks absolutely divine. There must be at least three or four people present with how many plates are stacked on the table. Maybe his other partners are there, too?

Kakashi grits his teeth and shoves the jealousy back down.

They’re not boyfriends. What right does he have to be jealous of Obito’s other partners? It’s not like Kakashi has spoken up to claim a piece of Obito for himself.

He’s realizing more and more how much he wants to.

His phone chimes with another text. He glances down to Obito’s latest chatty message.

‘Omg Hilarious. A scooter? I have a Monster 797. He got me a Hayabusa.’

‘Google tells me that’s a motorcycle.’

Obito doesn’t seem interested in this fact and continues complaining about his boyfriend’s gift.

‘I’ve told him I won’t ride anything but Ducati and this dick got me a motherfucking Hayabusa.’

Kakashi does another quick google search and blanches a bit.

‘Have you said ‘thank you very much’? That’s a 10$k bike’

‘I said ‘fuck you and your bullshit’! We talked about this! He leaves for months at a time and then thinks he can just throw his fancy gifts at me to make up for it! I told him I’m not about that. I want to spend more time with him. But he keeps doing it! He’s fucking shit at listening’

Kakashi suggests something a bit selfish.

‘Dump him then.’

‘But then who would take me out to dinner at _Mise En Place_?’

That is without exaggeration the most expensive restaurant in the _state_. Reservations are over a hundred dollars and appetizers start at one-fifty. He scrolls back up to the photo Obito sent him and does some quick guestimation.

Kakashi feels his wallet come to life and whimper in sympathy.

He’s suddenly very, very glad he’s sharing Obito with this other very-well-off older man.

‘I changed my mind. Thank him on bended knee.’

‘Oh, I think I will. Thank you for the suggestion~’

Back to where he started, thinking of Obito now on his knees before this mystery boyfriend, loaded and with spectacular taste, thanking him very vigorously indeed, with tight lips and red cheeks, and dark lusty eyes.

Kakashi throws his phone at the wall.

+

He doesn’t see Obito for a whole week.

Part of that is he broke his phone with his incredible aim. The other part is that Obito’s partner takes precedence over all the others since he’s going away again for a very long time.

After being deployed for months, sometimes years at a time, Kakashi has this sudden stroke of empathy for Obito’s rich visting-from-out-of-town boyfriend, and swallows his complaints. Besides, he’s got a life that doesn’t revolve around his illicit trysts with Obito.

He spends the week like normal. He meets up with Guy to burn away his impatience at the gym. He helps out when Kurenai asks for a hand moving her stuff into Asuma’s downtown apartment. He reads his soft core porn collection through twice. He heads down to the local shelter to walk the dogs he can’t keep (yet).

Kakashi makes a point to avoid staring at his new phone. He’s no lovesick teenager desperate for a text.

He’s fine.

One day he heads down to the library and runs into Rin.

It isn’t nearly as awkward as he expected. She greets him with a cheerful smile and waves him over.

“Hey! Long time no see. Do you need help finding anything?”

“No. I’ll find my own way.”

“Alright.” Rin’s smile quirks a bit as she regards him. “So. D’you miss him yet?”

Kakashi blinks a bit owlishly.

“Who?”

“Obito!”

Ah. That’s right. Rin is officially dating him. She’s his girlfriend. It must be different, for her, when Obito disappears from her life for a whole week. Kakashi doesn’t really know how he feels about the whole thing yet and he isn’t sure he wants to discuss it in the public library. But no one else is really around, and he doesn’t have anything more pressing to distract him, so he shrugs a bit and makes conversation.

“Yeah, sure. He’s busy this week with his boyfriend.”

Rin sighs a bit and holds her face. Her cheeks are pinking up prettily.

“Yeah! Isn’t it _romantic_? A handsome, caring, older guy from overseas, totally loaded and totally dedicated to you? For a whole week? Obito’s _so_ lucky!”

She practically squeals in delight. An older librarian shushes her from behind a row of books. Kakashi and Rin duck down at the admonition like guilty teenagers, then catch sight of each other, and break out into soft snickers.

“Wanna have a seat? My shift is ages but I could take a five minute break.”

“Why not,” Kakashi agrees cordially enough, dropping down beside her and adjusting his white face mask. The library smell isn’t too grating on his sense but the faint aroma of Rin’s perfume might make his eyes water if he breathes it in directly.

He wishes that Obito were here so he could lean in and take a fresh breath from the nape of his neck. The memory of it is good but faint. It would be nice to have something of Obito’s that he could keep at his place for times like this when he’s away. The thought is a little perverted but Kakashi really, really likes the way Obito smells. Maybe he can convince the other man to leave him a scarf or a spare shirt? It’ll have to be the first thing he does when Obito finishes up with his out-of-town boyfriend.

“…shi? Kakashi? Hello?”

Ah. He’s spaced out.

“Sorry. What were you saying?”

“How are things? I haven’t seen you in ages!” Rin repeats enthusiastically, nonplused by his momentary daydream. “I want to know all about what happened after you ran off to the army.”

Kakashi’s face twists a bit behind the mask. That’s a bit more personal than he wants to get so he deflects a bit.

“I… don’t really talk about my time. If that’s alright.”

“Sure,” Rin agrees right away. “Sorry if I made you uncomfortable. I was just curious!”

“I get it,” Kakashi murmurs. “What about you? What happened after I left?”

Rin goes into it right away, chattering away eagerly about the events following his sudden military career. She mentions his adoptive mother and father, some details about graduation, dating and a first job, and sounds so much like Obito it’s uncanny. Must be one of the reasons they get on so well, he thinks as she talks and talks and _talks_.

Eventually she pauses for breath and Kakashi interrupts her.

“So. You’re dating Obito?”

He’s surprised by the return of Rin’s pretty pink blush. His eyebrows hike up a bit as she holds her face a bit to hide her cheeks. She isn’t embarrassed. She giggles and fidgets on the spot, and twists a finger in a stray lock of brown hair.

She’s giddy.

“I, I am! It’s exciting. He treats me really well and he’s so cute, y’know?”

Kakashi nods. Obito is pretty cute.

“He’s such a good listener, and he has a great voice! He has so many partners but I love it! We talk about his boyfriends all the time.”

“And that doesn’t make you jealous?”

Rin seems to sparkle as she smiles.

“Not one bit.”

Kakashi tries to wrap his head around the concept. The thought of Obito kissing his other boyfriend, the one he got all angry about, makes something that’s clearly jealousy twist in Kakashi’s gut. But Rin claims it doesn’t bother her. How can that be?

“You don’t mind that he kisses other people?” Kakashi asks, just to be clear.

Rin tilts her head to one side. She studies him for a few moments, then has this light-bulb moment of clarity.

“Kakashi, do _you_ mind that he kisses other people?”

No, he thinks straight away. They’re not like that. He’s not dating Obito, so he doesn’t get to be jealous. So he can’t mind because it’s not his business because Obito isn’t his.

But he thinks about it a little more. He thinks about how much he’s missed the other man in the few days since his other partner got into town, and he very nearly checks his phone for a text.

If he’s being honest with himself, the answer to Rin’s question would be, yes, he minds. He minds quite a bit.

“It makes me feel like he wants me less than I want him.”

A soft hand reaches out and takes his.

He looks up at the sudden contact. Rin’s smile is warm and sweet, like honey.

“Kakashi,” she says kindly, “I’ve only known him for a little while, but I know Obito isn’t someone who knows how to make people jealous on purpose. And he’s not the kind of person to give a little bit of himself, slowly, like you are. When he likes someone he really really likes them. You’ve got nothing to worry about.”

How can you be so sure, Kakashi thinks, but Rin’s got this certainty about her, this absolutely unshakable and utterly bold belief in Obito’s ability to care for people, that makes him swallow his question.

He wants it to be that simple.

He wants to believe.

Rin’s hand squeezes his gently.

“You know, Obito is a good listener,” she prompts.

“He’s busy.”

_He’s with that other guy_, he thinks a little scornfully.

“Not too busy to text. Have you even checked your phone today?”

He hasn’t, but just to humor Rin, he pulls out his cell and unlocks it.

His mismatched eyes blink down at the screen that reads ’127 missed text messages’ and ’16 missed calls’, all from the same number, for quite some time.

“Huh.”

Rin’s hand squeezes his and then lets go. Kakashi opens the text message center and scrolls down, and down, and down.

Just from skimming he can tell Obito has been going on about his day like usual, the way they always text, even though he’s with some other guy. He’s sent emojis and memes and asked a bunch of times if Kakashi’s okay.

“He’s been a little worried about you,” Rin’s voice says as his eyes dart down the wall of text Obito has sent him. “He asked if I’d make sure you were okay, if I saw you at all. Should I let him know?”

Kakashi shakes his head and hits redial. Rin smiles at him as he jogs out of the library.

There’s a two ring tones and then a familiar voice. Kakashi smiles at the sound of it.

“Hey. Sorry I missed you.”

Obito’s answering yell is loud enough that Kakashi yanks back the phone from his ear for a moment to keep from going deaf.

“_You **fucking** asshole! You **actual** complete and utter **moron**!_ Did you fucking_ lose your phone_ or some shit! I thought you were _dead_! Who the hell doesn’t check their messages for _three days straight_?! I was worried _sick_!”

Kakashi takes a moment, with the phone far away from his face so he’s not shouted to death, to just enjoy the cranky sound of Obito complaining.

Somehow it’s sweet.

“I did break my phone, actually,” he admits when Obito finally pauses in-between cussing at him and insults to suck in a breath. “I would have called earlier but I had to order a replacement. My bad.”

“Oh.”

Obito’s voice on the line suddenly goes much softer.

“Fuck. Uh. Shit. Okay, no, it’s **not** your bad then, it’s my bad. Crap. I’m sorry. I didn’t know--that’s no excuse, look. I didn’t mean to go off on you like that. I was just worried I’d done something or made you feel unappreciated. The way you just suddenly disappeared… I thought you’d ghosted me.”

“Obito,” Kakashi says, charmed. “You were worried about that?”

“I was,” Obito admits freely over the line. “I like you, y’know?”

Kakashi swallows. It’s loud enough Obito might have heard, but he manages to reply. “I had my suspicions.”

“Cheeky.”

“I like you, too.”

There’s a few quiet moments and then a sound of delight. Kakashi wishes he could see the expression this admission has affected the other man with. This is kind of a face-to-face conversation but having it over the phone is better than not having it. 

“I’d like to show you just how much I like you,” Kakashi continues in a lower tone, and Obito’s noise shifts into a sound of interest.

“Oh yea?”

“Oh, _yes_.”

“I’d really like that. But I’m busy with Kisame in town. It’s just, I hardly get to see him, and he really means a lot to me.”

“I get that,” Kakashi says. “I remember being deployed, away from anyone familiar. Go and spend some time with your number one guy. I’ll be here when he has to leave.”

“There’s no numbers,” Obito says quickly enough that Kakashi suspects a lie, “Look, I really want to see you, too. I’ll get in touch with you later? I want to take you up on your offer.”

“Can’t wait.”

“Mm. Look, you know Rin, right? Can I give you her number, in case you lose or break your phone again? I don’t like being out of contact with people.”

Kakashi chuckles. “I can tell.”

“Fuck off,” Obito hisses, but there’s no malice to it. “I’ll text you?”

“Sure.”

He hangs up and heads back inside to where Rin is grinning at him ear to ear from the reception desk.

“He yell your ear off?”

“Absolutely. What’s your number?”


	3. Chapter 3

The text he’s been waiting for drops in on a Friday.

‘Dropping off shark face at airport, you free tonight?’

Kakashi waits a whole twenty minutes pretending to think about it before he replies.

‘Maybe. Coffee or bar?’

‘Bar please I have GOT to dance’

Kakashi is snorting a laugh before he can stop himself.

Obito is a generous lover, but he’s also a gorgeous dancer. That’s how they met, he lets himself remember as he sets the phone down and shuts his eyes.

Sure. They met in a bar.

Classy? No.

Incredible sex, followed with equally satisfying morning sex, followed with red-hot hook ups? Hell yes.

He thinks of the way Obito moves with the music, the graceful grooving a far cry from the usual hump and grind of clubs. He’s suddenly looking forward to tonight much more than he was before.

+

They meet at the bar and order drinks.

“Tequila and vodka with lime!”

The dark-haired bar tender turns his back and Obito plucks a bright red cherry off the bar. He pulls off the stem and pops the cherry in his mouth, tapping his foot to the music.

Kakashi reaches out with two fingers and lifts the stem from Obito’s hand. He slips it into his mouth and feigns nonchalance as Obito swallows his stolen fruit and watches with eager anticipation.

The bar tender is sliding them their drinks when Kakashi produces a perfectly knotted stem balanced on the tip of his tongue.

“Fuck, that’s hot,” Obito says before snatching his drink.

He downs it while Kakashi squeezes his slice of lime. He’s barely finished tipping back his own shot before Obito is snagging the small of his neck and crushing them together for a searing kiss that tastes sour-sweet, like lime and tequila, and Kakashi makes a noise of approval against Obito’s mouth.

Obito’s lips are perfect against his. He loses himself in the kiss for a good few minutes, just enjoying the familiar feel and taste of Obito, and of course, the smell. It’s difficult to get at between the strong odor of the bar and the fresh scent of alcohol, but it’s there, and it’s good. There’s just a thin layer of fabric that separates Kakashi’s fingers from Obito’s skin. He tests the limits of it, gripping him through his shirt, rewarded by the eager hum of Obito against his lips.

He’s missed this. By the feel of Obito pressing up against his thigh, he’s not the only one.

They part, dropping bills under their empty shot glasses and Kakashi follows Obito onto the dance floor. The music provides a steady beat to follow. It’s not long before Obito is laughing and dancing, and Kakashi feels a flashback of how he first spotted the other man. Then, like now, Kakashi feels drawn to the sight of Obito enjoying himself to the steady beat, hips swaying the the rhythm, clearly caught up in the music. He moves with confidence. Nothing is sexier than someone who can just enjoy being who they are and Kakashi finds himself moving into the free space behind Obito’s swaying hips.

There’s a laugh when Kakashi’s hands come down and slide over the planes of Obito’s narrow hips.

They twist until Obito is wrapped up in Kakashi's arms. There’s an unexpected color to Obito’s cheeks. He’s not drunk, Kakashi’s treated him to far more than a single shot before, but there’s an undeniable blush on those tanned cheeks as the other man leans in close.

“Wanna get out of here?”

Kakashi’s eyebrow hikes up.

“Thought you wanted to dance,” he murmurs against the shell of Obito’s ear.

“Want you more,” Obito says with a shiver as Kakashi presses kisses against his earlobe, gasping when he nips with teeth at the sensitive skin.

“Why don’t we stay a while? Half an hour?”

“If you’re worried about losing money over drinks or our entry fee,” Obito starts, only to have Kakashi interrupt him with a kiss. When they part there’s a matching pink creeping over Kakashi’s pale face.

“Thought we could warm up. You said you want to dance.” He’s grateful for the volume of the music blaring around them, otherwise Obito might hear how shaky his voice is. “I want you now, and I’ll want you later, after you get to move for a bit.”

Obito’s hands leave his waist and fist in Kakashi’s hair to crush them together. He’s stunned by the sudden shift in position but not so shocked he can’t kiss Obito back. It’s fiercer than before, passionate, and there’s a tongue sliding up against his that makes it difficult to focus on keeping them upright on the dance floor. Luckily Obito drags them apart just as quickly as he’d pulled them together. He’s licking his lips as he meets Kakashi’s mismatched eyes.

“Half an hour. To warm up, for later? You better be able to keep up with me, then!”

He makes it sound challenging. Kakashi smirks and follows Obito further out onto the dance floor.

+

“Rin and Kisame,” Kakashi says, counting on one hand. “That’s two. You mentioned four, once upon a time.”

Obito takes a moment to come around. They’ve just finished fucking each other over Kakashi’s couch and now they’re collapsed together against the sheets of his bed. Everything smells good again. Kakashi took particular pleasure in pounding Obito into his mattress, then flipping them so he could ride the other man like a fucking stallion. Obito had been an excellent sport about Kakashi’s smell fetish, graciously indulging him when Kakashi finally explained his fascination with keeping Obito pressed against his sheets.

He takes a moment to stretch, and Kakashi can’t help following the lines of Obito’s body as his muscles stretch with him, all smooth tanned flesh. There’s a pleased sigh when he gives in to temptation and leans in to lick.

“Yeah. I’m dating them, and a couple, and you.”

Kakashi blinks a bit and comes away from Obito’s skin.

“Me?”

The dark-haired man sits up on his elbows. His eyes are serious again. “Did you think I was just fucking with you this whole time? Or, do you not want to date? We can keep it more casual if you want—“

Kakashi’s hand snaps out before Obito can say anything else.

Clearly, he’s been overthinking things. He can’t believe he didn’t see it before. He doesn’t have to worry about what they are to each other, whether they’re more than sex friends to each other. It was always this simple.

All he had to do was ask.

“I want,” Kakashi says, selfishly. “Dating. Dating is fine.”

Obito laughs at him and Kakashi lets him. “You’re cute.”

“Pot, kettle.”

“Shucks! You’ll make me blush. Seriously, though, I thought we’d talked about that, at one point?”

“I think we both assumed a few things,” Kakashi says, running his fingertips over the back of Obito’s hand. His boyfriend’s hand. The thought is good. Kakashi lets himself treasure it a bit as he offers a languid smile to the other man. “But I _do_ want to date you. Does that make me boyfriend number four?”

“There’s no numbers,” Obito denies, but Kakashi knows there are. He’s seen Obito’s phone.

“Shark boy is number one.”

“He is not! Okay, well, he was first, but that doesn’t mean he’s the best or anything. I don’t have favorites!”

“Blondie is number two.”

“No, he’s two because he’s part of the couple!”

“And Rin is number three.”

“Rin is not a boyfriend, she’s a girlfriend,” Obito complains, rolling his eyes. “Don’t you know _anything_?”

“My bad. Then, who is number three?”

“_You_ are, but with that attitude I’m strongly reconsidering knocking you down to like five or six,” Obito grumbles.

Kakashi raises an eyebrow.

“I thought you said there were no numbers?”

Obito opens his mouth to deny it, then realizes what he’s said. He makes a wordless snarl before he tackles Kakashi against the sheets.

There’s a struggle for a moment, palms clasped tight as they tussle for dominance, and then there’s a groan as Kakashi gets his teeth around the skin of Obito’s neck and bites down, _hard_. Then they’re rolling over each other again, and there’s skin on skin, shifting as they rut up against each other, and Obito’s noisy litany of ‘fuck fuck that’s perfect, fucking yes, ah, right there’ until they come, shuddering at the same time and making a mess between them.

“There’s numbers,” Kakashi says cheerfully as he passes his boyfriend a towel.

Obito huffs, too tired and satisfied to argue much, and accepts the towel.

“Shut up, four.”


	4. Chapter 4

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Kakashi catches up with his friends, old and new.

He doesn’t think about the other partners. Much.

Like Obito said, he’s got his own life. Sure, Obito is part of it, but on the outskirts, peripherally. Kakashi’s time is mostly taken up doing his job. Then there’s time he spends paying bills, cleaning his apartment, working out at the gym with Gai, and walking dogs at the local shelter. He’s vowed to take them all home as soon as he can afford to buy a house with a massive yard.

He’s currently fostering a pug, who he’s named Pakkun, who has awful breath and terrible farts, but does this stupid funny thing with his back leg every other step, so he’s more tolerable than trouble. He doesn’t want to take him back but if he fosters the little guy any longer he won’t be able to let go of him.

Pakkun gives him a disappointed look when the car ride isn’t to the park.

“I’m sorry,” Kakashi says, to the grumpy little pug as he hands over the leash to one of the pound workers. “It’s the apartment complex. I swear I’ll come back for you. Don’t forget me.”

Pakkun grunts a strange cough in his direction and doesn’t trot off right away. It’s almost like he understood him.

Kakashi is walking out of the animal shelter when a familiar face walks in.

“Yo,” Asuma says, waving a large hand.

Kakashi waves back in greeting. He tries not to be too obvious about adjusting his face mask as Asuma exhales a huge cloud of cigarette smoke as he walks right up beside him.

“You looking to adopt?”

“Not yet,” Asuma drawls through a second hazy exhale. Kakashi casually take a half-step back as the smoke pollutes the air in his personal space. “Kurenai has some appointment for her hair. You free?”

“I have a date, actually. Maybe next time.”

“Oh?” Asuma drops his cig under a heavy boot. “Off the market again? Do tell.”

“I’m headed out to meet them now.”

“Anywhere nearby? Like I said, Kurenai’s busy. I’ve got time.”

“The coffee shop on sixth street. It’s an entire mile. You gonna pass out on the way over?”

“If I do I know you can lug me,” Asuma says with a broad grin as they leave the pound. “I’ve seen you and Guy go at it. You’re not just a beanpole no matter how you try to play the scrawny kid card.”

Between the two of them Kakashi is certainly skinnier, but he’s by no means scrawny. He’s compact muscle and bone. Just because he’s not built like Asuma, a veritable brick shit house that might as well be branded ‘body by Adonis’, doesn’t mean anything.

“It’s been ages since anyone called me a kid.”

“Speaking of, have you talked to your parents since you got back?”

Kakashi pulls out his phone and shoots Obito a text to let him know he’ll be late.

Asuma slows down, a frown on his face.

“Hey, are you still hung up on that? I thought you said you got over him.”

“I am,” Kakashi says quickly. “I did. I dated that teacher when I got back.”

“Yeah? For like a week,” Asuma snorts. “And the second he asked to meet your family, you split on him.”

“I’m dating someone now.”

“Kakashi, I’m serious. Especially if you’re into someone new. You should talk to him. You’re an adult now. Maybe if you have it out with him, you can get over him for real.”

“Want me to call you an Uber?”

Asuma sighs deeply. “Look, I’m sorry. I won’t bring up the thing with your step dad again, but don’t be a dick.”

They walk in silence for a couple blocks.

Eventually, Asuma pulls out another cigarette and lights it. Kakashi takes a half-step ahead to be upwind of the smoke.

“Your new guy doesn’t smoke, huh?”

“I never said it was a guy,” Kakashi grumbles, trying to ignore how Asuma’s every word is accompanied by a pungent odor.

“Kakashi, the day you get it on with a chick is the day I eat a dick,” Asuma says cheerfully. “Tell me about him.”

“Dicks are awesome. You should, in fact, try one.”

“I’ll stick to vaginas, thanks. Someone’s got to take care of them, since you won’t. Is he hot?”

“Smoking.”

“Ha! Cheers. He’s certainly rubbed off on your sense of humor. He must be funny.”

“Obito’s not funny so much as unintentionally incidentally hilarious.”

Asuma blinks and stops walking.

“Woah, woah, wait. Back up. Obito, as in Uchiha Obito?”

Kakashi raises an eyebrow.

“You know him?”

Asuma groans and scratches his beard. He hems and haws, clearly having an internal debate, but before Kakashi can ask what it’s about, the other man finishes up and squares his shoulders, looking rather grim as he faces Kakashi dead-on. He reaches out and lands a solid hand on Kakashi’s shoulder.

“I hate to be the one to tell you, but that guy’s up to no good.”

Kakashi’s eye brows hike way up.

“I’m glad you told me that’s who it was. Man! Guys like that really get me. Thinking they can play the field, have a relationship with one person, and have another person on the side. He’s a real piece of work.”

The words come together to form pieces of an incomplete picture. Kakashi takes an educated guess at what his friend is going on about.

“Are you talking about his girlfriend?”

Asuma splutters.

Kakashi enjoys it for a few seconds but eventually the other man recovers.

“You _knew_! You knew he was dating a chick and you still…”

“‘Some chick’ is actually a friend of mine,” Kakashi says cheerfully, just to see Asuma nearly choke on his cigarette.

“You’re shitting me,” he accuses, once the coughing fit subsides. “So let me get this straight. You’re dating this Obito guy, and he’s dating—“

“Rin,” Kakashi supplies.

“Right, so you’re dating Obito, who’s dating Rin.”

There’s a brief pause as Asuma does some mental gymnastics.

“Is it a threesome?”

“No.”

“Damn.”

Kakashi rolls his eyes.

“So. You’re just…”

“Both dating Obito.”

“Uh-huh.”

Asuma looks oddly as though he’s not quite on the same page. Kakashi fishes around for an analogy as they walk.

“You drink booze. And you smoke. Have you ever done both at the same time?”

“That’s not… it doesn’t work like that,” Asuma argues, gesturing with his half-burnt cig.

“How so?”

“You can’t just have both. Doesn’t she get jealous—what about you? Isn’t it _weird_ to, like… share him?”

Kakashi shrugs gracelessly.

“The things I like about him don’t go away when he’s not with me. And when he’s with his other partners, sure, I miss him. But he doesn’t need to belong to me.” The thought prompts a small smile behind the face mask, but he’s sure Asuma can see it in the crinkle of his eyes. “I’ve never thought Obito could be owned by anyone, especially by just one person. There’s something about him that wouldn’t stand for being contained like that.”

Asuma doesn’t say anything for a bit. Kakashi looks up to realize the other man is biting back a grin.

“You sound _smitten_.”

He can’t help it if his cheeks go a bit rosy.

“I like him.”

Asuma whistles low.

“That’s pretty big, coming from you. Isn’t this sixth street?”

Kakashi turns around to see someone waving animatedly from across the street. Asuma’s face splits into a shit-eating smirk as Kakashi raises a hand to timidly wave back. The gesture returned, Obito stops flailing, and turns to stare at the crossing signal, bouncing from foot to foot like a kid on Christmas Day.

Kakashi endures Asuma’s hearty laughter.

“He’s cute! Is he actually twelve?”

“He’s enthusiastic,” Kakashi grumbles as the light turns.

“I’ll get out of your hair. Have fun on your date. And Kakashi? At least think about calling your old man.”

“I can still get you that Uber.”

“Eat a dick,” Asuma says, waving good bye without looking back over his shoulder.

“Was that your friend? I liked his suggestion,” Obito says brightly as he finishes crossing the street.

Kakashi drags his face mask down and pulls Obito against his chest. He drops his arms around the other man’s waist. Obito’s arms loop automatically around his neck. The way they fit against each other is warm, familiar. It feels like coming home.

“Perfect,” Kakashi murmurs, before he leans forward.

Their kiss is brief, for all that Kakashi nearly sinks into Obito’s skin. He makes himself pull away because no matter how much Obito likes being out in public, Kakashi likes Obito naked, and that’s not happening out on sixth street.

“Wanna get a cup of coffee?”

“Only if you want to. There are other ways I’d rather use our time together.”

“Oh?”

The smile that plays across Obito’s lips is mischievous.

“We could just head back to your place. It’s not far from here, is it?”

“Couple of blocks. Or we could grab a cab,” Kakashi suggests against the skin of Obito’s neck where he’s momentarily come up for air. He goes right back to tasting Obito’s pulse with his tongue as soon as he’s done speaking. The way Obito shudders under him is encouraging, and Kakashi enjoys the groan it elicits.

“Fine. Hey! Cut that out! If you want me to make it to your place you’ve got to stop licking me.”

Kakashi snorts and comes away from Obito’s neck.

+

He’s grocery shopping when he runs into Rin, again.

“Oh! Hi, Kakashi!”

Kakashi waves with one hand and drops some ginger into his basket with the other.

Rin is wearing a soft-pink cardigan and black leggings. There’s a bow holding her bangs out of her face. Even completely uninterested in women, Kakashi can easily categorize the look as 'adorably cute'.

"Hello. You look nice today."

She offers him a cheerful grin.

“Thanks! How’re things?”

They make conversation all the way through the store. Kakashi finds it easier than he’d imagined. Rin is an old friend from his childhood but it’s been years since they’ve spoken, before Obito. Luckily, the conversation flows naturally, with Rin carrying most of it, occasionally interjecting a question in Kakashi’s direction to keep it from being purely one-sided, and before long they’re outside the grocery store. For all that she’s spoken, Rin suddenly seems anxious about something.

“Kakashi, I know you probably want to get home, with all those groceries, but… there’s something I’ve been meaning to ask. Do you have a minute?”

He nods, curious despite himself. He’ll catch the next bus home.

Rin flashes him a grateful look as they step away from the bus stop and set their bags down.

“Thanks.”

“Sure. I’ve got time. What did you want to talk about?”

“You don’t have to answer, if you don’t want to. I mean, I would totally understand if you didn’t feel comfortable talking about it, or, um, if it’s not happening to you, but…” She swallows and twists a finger in her hair.

“Does it ever feel like people just don’t get it?”

Kakashi waits for a bit more information. Rin doesn’t make him wait long.

“I mean, with Obito! Dating him. While he’s dating other people. Has anyone said something to you about that kind of thing?”

“They have. Just yesterday,” Kakashi admits, recalling his conversation with Asuma.

“What did you say?”

Rin’s voice is quite small. Kakashi wonders what was said to her, to make her look so uncomfortable.

“I said it was none of their business. Rin, is someone making you feel awkward about dating Obito?”

The brown-haired girl blinks away her expression and shakes her head quickly, flashing him a bright smile.

“Oh, no! Nothing like that at all!”

“Really? Because if someone’s giving you a hard time…”

He doesn’t have any deep feelings for Rin, but she’s someone important to Obito. There’s a sense of protectiveness that surges up inside him at the thought of her being bullied over their mutual partner.

Rin waves her hand quickly. “No, no, no! You’ve got it all wrong. No body’s said anything rude or weird about me dating Obito! It’s just…” She pauses and deflates a little bit.

“I told my parents. They… didn’t really get it. They think I shouldn’t be seeing someone who’s involved with so many other people.”

“Oh.”

“Yeah.”

Kakashi tries to remember Rin’s parents, but it’s been too long.

“Are you still living with them?”

“I’m going to move out in the spring,” Rin says as her cheeks color. Kakashi realizes with a start that she’s blinking away tears. “I’m gonna get my own place, so I can bring Obito home with me, where no one’s judging him without knowing him… Kakashi, I really, _really_ like him! He’s so sweet! And kind, and funny, and he makes me happy!”

_That's how he makes me feel, too,_ Kakashi thinks. At some point he should get around to letting Obito know. But Rin isn't here to discuss his feelings. She's looking for support. He pushes down his personal thoughts and wracks his brain for something to say. 

“He makes you happy. That’s good. Right?”

Rin nods.

“Did your parents say they don’t want you to see him anymore?”

Another nod, accompanied by a hiccup.

“Rin, you’re old enough to decide who you want to date for yourself,” Kakashi says firmly. “Even if you love and respect your parents it’s up to you to be with someone who’s good for you. They don’t have to understand. They should be happy that you found someone who makes you happy, too.”

There’s a couple moments where Rin’s shoulders are shaking that Kakashi is terrified she’ll break out into noisy tears and maybe need some kind of deeper, meaningful reassurance, and he doesn’t really know what else to say. But the brown-haired girl draws in a deep, long breath, and shakes her head ferociously, flinging the last of her tears from her pink cheeks. Eventually she stops and offers Kakashi a shaky smile.

“Thank you. You don’t know how much I needed to hear that.”

Kakashi adjusts his face mask, mildly embarrassed at the praise.

“Seemed like the right thing to say.”

“It totally was,” Rin says, cheerful again, and this time she does come in for a hug. She approaches slowly, gives Kakashi plenty of space to duck out if he wants to, but he opens an arm for her and they come together for a few seconds.

It’s completely different from holding Obito. Kakashi feels less like cleaving to his lover and a lot more like the big older brother doting on the bright younger sister. He has a moment more to treasure the unique experience before Rin comes away, making excuses and finding her own groceries on the ground.

Kakashi calls out to her before she can scurry away.

“Rin. You’ve got my number. Don’t be a stranger.”

The brown-eyed girl nods.

“I’ll text you.”

He waves after her and gets back to the bus stop. He gets home almost an hour later than he anticipated but his phone lights up with seventeen new messages, only half of them from Obito. Scrolling through them puts a half-fond smirk on his face under the mask.


	5. Chapter 5

Dating Obito is never boring. Not just because Obito has other partners, but because Obito himself is a beautiful, capricious, amazing individual with eclectic tastes and interests.

Besides meeting at their respective apartments and the coffee shop Obito works at, they’ve been out to dinner, gone to the movies, and met at the club: all common, standard dating fare. They’ve also gone to the zoo, where Kakashi learned that Obito has a thing for penguins and riding on slow-moving trains. They visit a traveling carnival together. One night Obito meets Kakashi well after dark and challenges him to climb a building with him. A sort of impromptu after-dark parkour race. Curious, Kakashi obliges, easily trouncing Obito in their improvised vertical sprint up the side of an apartment complex. The dark-haired man accepts defeat with ill grace, grumpily letting Kakashi help him up over the last ledge onto the roof.

“You’re strong for a scarecrow. Didn’t think you could move so fast.”

“So sorry to disappoint you. Looking for an easy win?” Kakashi teases.

“As if! I’m definitely pissed about it, but you beat me fair and square. C’mere.”

Kakashi goes, and Obito rewards him by dragging his pants down and sucking him off on the rooftop under the stars.

Today, they meet at the shelter and walk some of the pound dogs, where Obito learns Kakashi has a thing for dogs.

“They won’t let me keep them at the apartment complex,” Kakashi admits as they walk. “So I volunteer most weekends. It counts as cardio. Plus, there are a few of them I really want to take home for good. Eventually I’m looking at getting a house with a bunch of land so they can run for miles.”

“That sounds so cozy,” Obito gushes, nearly losing his grip on an Akita’s leash.

“It’s been one of my long-term goals. Not a lot of other ambitions, beyond having enough to live comfortably.”

“You’re looking out for your future. That’s really mature.”

Kakashi has this brief moment, when they’re being dragged along by the six dogs they’re walking, stumbling down the sidewalk side by side, with the crisp morning air and the noisy barking and Obito’s nonstop chatter, of utter serenity.

This is what he wants his life to be like all the time.

Him, and Obito, and almost too many dogs to keep track of, wandering around the city before people wake up and clog the streets.

It's perfect. 

He wonders how cheesy it would be to ask if they could do this again, forever.

“Hey, I’m getting a call. Mind if I take it?”

Kakashi blinks out of his thoughts. Obito holds up his phone, waiting for permission. This is a thing he does, he’s said, for all his partners: usually if he’s with one of them, he’ll ask before taking a call from the others. He’d explained, extensively, and with profuse apology, that shark-boy had been an admittedly unusual case.

Kakashi shrugs. “I don’t mind.”

Obito flashes him a sunny smile, and answers his cell.

He tries not to eavesdrop but it’s impossible, being so close. Obito is so expressive. And from the sheer volume on the other end of the line, so is the partner that’s called him.

There’s terse comments that devolve into snapping that turns into shouting.

Kakashi uses the dogs as an excuse to give Obito some space, but even that doesn’t distract from the tone of the call.

“Look, we’ve been over this! No. No! Deidara, listen. You know that’s absolute _bullshit_. What? Don’t say that! Don’t you fucking dare! You _know_ Sasori doesn’t give a damn about your gender. It’s **you** he likes—no no no, **don’t** hang up on me! Deidara, wait! Wait!”

Obito pulls the phone away from his ear.

“Shit.”

He jogs back to where Kakashi is trying and failing to mind his own business. His expression is apologetic.

“Hey, I hate to do this to you, but can we reschedule?”

“Is everything okay?”

Obito shakes his head. “No, I don’t think so. I’m really worried. Deidara’s been so confrontational lately but this is different. There’s something wrong. I should really go see them today.”

“Them?”

“It’s their pronoun,” Obito explains. “Listen, can we talk about it later?”

He sounds anxious enough that Kakashi caves immediately.

“The pound’s only another mile off. Wanna run?”

The look Obito gives him radiates relief.

Together they sprint back toward the pound. The dogs bark up a storm, delighted at the impromptu run. Kakashi is privately impressed at Obito’s speed but then again they are being half-dragged by twelve sets of paws a piece. They make it back to the pound in record time.

Kakashi flags down an employee and oversees the exchange of dogs. He tries not to listen to their plaintive whines on the way out.

Obito has his back turned and one ear to the phone when Kakashi joins him in the parking lot.

“C’mon. Pick up, pick up, you drama nut… Damnit.”

It’s not really his business, Kakashi thinks, but it is cutting into his time with Obito. He’s allowed to be a little curious. It also looks like Obito might need some help: he looks very stressed out by this sudden development.

“Straight to voice mail?”

“Yeah. Damnit!”

“Do you know where he… where they live?”

Obito shakes his head. “We usually meet up at Sasori’s place. That’s their boyfriend. But lately Deidara’s been acting unpredictably. I don’t know where they’d be.”

Kakashi tries to follow along. He’s not used to ‘they’ meaning one person.

“What about the boyfriend? Have you called him?”

“I’ll try but Sasori’s bad about answering his phone during the day. One sec.”

It’s in the middle of trying to get a hold of the boyfriend that Obito gets a call back from Deidara. He nearly drops his phone trying to swap lines.

“You _asshole_! Don’t just hang up on me like that. I’m worried about you! What? Of _course_ I care! Why else do you think I get so worked up if you fucking ditch me? No, no, don’t even start—you don’t get to play the victim card, here! _You_ were the one who hung up on _me_…”

Obito is so animated. Kakashi finds he doesn’t mind the interruption into their date as much as he thought he would. What’s getting on his nerves is how much this Deidara person, guy, girl, or whatever, is making Obito’s face go through so many different bad expressions. He looks upset, anxious, nervous and frustrated all at once.

Not for the first time, Kakashi selfishly considers suggesting Obito dump whoever this is. But it’s not his place. Obito obviously has the right to choose his own partners. And it’s immature, Kakashi considers as Obito shouts into the phone, to think that simply cutting off a person would solve whatever problem they’re having.

He watches as Obito carries on with his phone call. There’s some serious history behind the argument that’s being revisited.

He wonders if he should leave or stay. Obito seems completely immersed in the conversation, if it can still be called that, and yet some part of Kakashi whispers encouragement to stick around. Perhaps it’s the part of him that wants Obito all to himself, that wants to see how things play out. Perhaps it’s a general curiosity. Or perhaps it’s the growing sense that no matter what happens Kakashi wants to be there to make sure Obito is okay.

Whatever the reason he sends a text to Guy telling him he’ll miss evening gym.

“This isn’t the right time for… no, stop! Listen to me! You’re better than that! Deidara, just, calm down. Look. Can we talk about it face to face? I really want to work this out with you and Sasori… Hello? Hello! Deidara, if you hang up on me again—augh, no hold on, that’s not… Please don’t go. I’m really worried about how you’re acting lately.”

Kakashi puts his own phone away and glances around. There’s a few places to eat nearby. Maybe food will help Obito come down from all the drama from his other partner. It seems like the conversation is finally coming to a close. The shouting has stopped, at least.

“Promise you’ll call Sasori? If you don’t want to talk to him, I totally get it. But at least call him. Please? No, don’t text him. You _know_ he doesn’t read his messages for days. Yeah! Sure. Yeah, he is. Yeah. Okay. Bye.”

Obito sighs with his whole body, which Kakashi finds impressive.

“Maybe I should just break up with them.”

Silver eyebrows hike up in surprise.

“Oh?”

“It’s always something with them. Deidara used to be so inspired! They were _passionate_ about their art. That was their whole deal. It’s one of the reasons I wanted to date them in the first place. But recently everything comes back to their gender. Lately they make such a big deal about being upset and offended when they’re mislabeled.” Obito glares down at the phone in his hand. “I mean, I _get_ it. Hormones are shit, and they make you feel like shit, but that doesn’t mean you get a free pass to be an asshole to your boyfriends. That’s just an excuse!”

“There’s no good reason for being a dick,” Kakashi agrees. “No matter what’s in your pants.”

“_Exactly_! You get it!” Obito crows triumphantly. “That’s why I like you so much.”

“It isn’t for my devilish good looks?”

Obito snickers at him. Kakashi throws a hand over his chest, hurt.

“Kakashi! Don’t be like that. There are so many hot guys and gals out there. If that was all there was to people don’t you think things would be boring?”

“Gorgeous, but maybe a little boring.”

“Oh shut up!”

Obito’s smile is a little tired at the edges but there’s a relieved calm to his eyes. Kakashi finds it alluring, and moves in slowly. Obito opens an arm for him and allows the other man to wrap him up. It’s an embrace he leans into. Kakashi uses Obito’s head to shove his face mask down and plants his nose against his partner’s soft black spikes. Obito’s arms squeeze a little firmer than usual. Kakashi is glad he decided to stay.

He doesn’t say anything. Obito’s had enough conversation for a while. Instead he offers silent support, non-judgmental space where Obito can rest. From the way Obito’s breathing calms down, and how he seems to sink into Kakashi, it’s the right call.

He doesn’t measure how long they just hold onto one another. The world moves around them but for a while all Kakashi cares about is making sure Obito can have this.

When the other man finally, finally pulls away, his eyes are a bit glossy.

“Thanks, Kakashi. I really needed that.”

Kakashi leans in and kisses him. Obito kisses him back, slow but with an approving hum. Hands press into the small of Kakashi’s back, bringing them even closer together. There’s nothing overtly sexual about the kiss. It’s more comforting than anything. Reassuring. Kakashi presses close with his fingers and when he pulls away, he gives in to the urge to plant a peck on the tip of Obito’s nose.

There’s a snort of laughter startled out of Obito to reward his efforts.

“Anytime,” Kakashi hears himself say.

Dark eyes sweep up along the line of his throat and jaw. Eventually Obito meets his mismatched eyes.

“I’m sorry, Kakashi. This isn’t how I expected our day to go…”

Silver hair shifts as Kakashi shakes his head.

“Shit happens. But when shit hits the fan, there’s Mexican food, to make it worse. Want to get tacos?”

Obito breaks out into laughter, clutching helplessly at the other man's side to stay upright. Kakashi silently congratulates himself on a well-delivered line and gamely supports the other man as they stagger toward a restaurant down the street.

+

It’s morning, and there are fingers tracing pictures into the slope of his spine.

Kakashi recalls flashes of the night before as he wakes up. They had lunch at some Mexican dive, then Obito disappeared for a few hours to work. At the end of the night, though, Kakashi offered his company again, on the off chance Obito would want it.

Waking up naked next to an equally naked Obito is probably the best payout on any gamble he’s ever made, ever.

The silver-haired man hums appreciatively as Obito strokes him, ghosting over his skin with a feather-light touch, doodling images with his fingertip against pale flesh.

The fingers stop at the sound he makes. Obito shifts on the bed carefully.

“Ah. Sorry if I woke you.”

“You’re always welcome to wake me up like this,” Kakashi mumbles into his pillow. “I like it when you touch me.”

Obito makes an interested noise. The fingertips press firmer, still soft and smooth, but distinctly more intent, dipping against the planes of his lower back. Kakashi hums approvingly as the fingers slide against his hips and seek the swell of his ass. Obito smirks as he cops a feel under the sheets.

“That’s fine. I like to touch you, so we’re a good match.”

Kakashi would reply, except Obito’s other hand slides over him and dips down between his thighs, and his words turn into a low groan. Obito’s hands are magic. Within seconds he’s hard. Obito scoots closer, and Kakashi feels an answering hardness slide up against his bare thigh. He presses back against Obito under the sheets. The dark-haired man shudders. His hands on Kakashi move with increased urgency.

“Hmm. Fuck, that’s good. Hey, do you wanna…?”

“Sure,” Kakashi agrees sleepily, adjusting his hips.

“So good to me,” Obito murmurs as he scoots in even closer, his chest rising up nearly flat against Kakashi’s back as he lines them up. There’s a few seconds of negotiation, then Kakashi feels something wet and thick pushing into the space between his thighs. Obito breathes and begins to move.

Usually Obito prefers to be taken, and Kakashi’s happy to do the taking, but once in a while Obito will show interest in switching. It’s nice, though, Kakashi thinks as Obito’s fingers dig into his hips, to be taken care of. Obito seeks his own pleasure between Kakashi’s thighs, thrusting into the space made slick by his own fluids, but he makes sure to chase Kakashi’s pleasure at the same time. There are nibbling kisses on his neck and shoulder. One of Obito’s hands slides up and finds a nipple, while the other slides down.

Kakashi feels his head roll into the pillow. It’s really nice to have Obito’s hands all over him.

There’s a pleased sound from his neck.

“You’re _dripping_.”

Kakashi makes a quiet noise of agreement, arching into Obito’s fist, pressing his ass back against Obito’s hips. He’s good. He’s _so_ good.

“Kakashi, I wanna make you come. What do you need?”

It’s difficult to summon words, with Obito’s mouth open and hot and wet against his throat, with the slick slide between his legs. Obito’s hand stops long enough for Kakashi to catch his breath a moment.

“It’s good. What you were doing before was perfect.”

Obito leans up to kiss him. Kakashi groans against the soft lips pressing into his before Obito starts moving again. His hands return to Kakashi’s leaking shaft and pump him in an urgent rhythm. His lips and tongue tease Kakashi’s neck, lapping eagerly, kissing him fervently, and Kakashi feels a shudder go through him as he comes.

Obito cusses quietly and pistons his hips, fucking the slot between Kakashi’s thighs, and cries out.

Then he groans and collapses happily into the sheets.

“That’s it,” he announces into the bed. “G’night.”

“Goodnight? It’s definitely morning.”

“Too sleepy t’ get up. Going back t’ bed. Night.”

“While I welcome the thought of more time with you, alone, and naked, and in bed,” Kakashi says with an amused air, “Don’t you have work at your coffee shop in half an hour?”

“Nnn… Not ’til nine. Can’t be nine.”

“It’s eight forty-five, now,” Kakashi observes, right before Obito springs up like the bed’s caught fire.

“Shut up. There’s no fucking way… shit! Shit, shit, shit, I’ll be late!”

He’s a whirlwind of limbs and clothes. Kakashi watches, amused and lazily satisfied as Obito yanks on his uniform. He waves from the bed as the other man scrambles for the door.

“Have a good day, darling.”

Obito freezes.

Kakashi wonders if he’s touched a nerve. He starts to sit up to take it back, worried about the way Obito has stopped dead at the front door, before there’s thudding footsteps and Obito lunges through the air to tackle him flat against the bed. They hit the sheets together with a whump, Obito landing on all fours, leaned over Kakashi flat on his back. His cheeks are scarlet.

“No pet names.”

Mismatched eyes blink.

“Please.”

“I’m sorry. My bad. But,” Kakashi says, slowly, a little uncertainly, “I probably won’t be able to stop calling you an idiot.”

Obito’s frame relaxes at once.

“Yeah? Well that can stay, since I _am_ an idiot sometimes.”

“But no pet names,” Kakashi repeats, for clarification. “You don’t want me to call you darling, or baby. Things like that.”

Obito shakes his head.

He brings a hand up to Obito’s cheek, thumb brushing over the warm pink flesh. Obito’s eyelashes flutter a bit as he blinks down at Kakashi’s face. There’s a strange intensity about Obito’s expression as he covers Kakashi’s hand with his own and meets his eyes.

“Please?”

This is very important to Obito.

“Okay.”

Kakashi leans up and presses a kiss to the corner of Obito’s mouth. “No pet names. Just your name.”

“_Thank you_.”

There’s so much tension that bleeds out of the other man. Kakashi takes his piqued curiosity and buries it, because it’s less important to know why, than to make sure his partner feels comfortable. He’ll probably bring it up again later when he’s ready. So Kakashi swallows his questions and offers a shy smile of his own.

“Anytime.”

They bump foreheads. Obito sinks against him with a great sigh, blowing Kakashi’s bangs with the force of it. Kakashi takes his weight easily against the bed, bringing his arms up to rest against Obito’s hips. The other man lets his head fall like a brick against Kakashi’s shoulder and turns his face against him. Kakashi takes the time to lean into Obito’s hair and sniff quietly.

Obito hears him and snickers into his shoulder.

“It’s that good, huh?”

“You have no idea,” Kakashi mumbles, breathing in again through his nose. “Love the way you smell.”

“Yeah? Love you, too,” Obito says softly.

Kakashi feels his heart stutter in his chest.

He looks down, but he can’t see but the top of Obito’s head. The other man is pressed contentedly against him, nuzzling into him with one cheek. His throat seems stuck but he manages to get the words out.

“What did you say?”

He can’t have heard what he thought—

“I said, I love you, too,” Obito repeats with a growing smile, soft, a little shy.

Kakashi hears himself swallow, thickly.

_Ring! Ring! Ring!_

Obito’s eyes widen and he grabs for his phone. His face pales dramatically when he catches sight of the time.

“Shit! It’s already nine! Fuck, fuck, I’ve gotta get to work. See you, Kakashi!”

He’s up and off the bed before Kakashi can unstick his throat. The door slams after him as he barrels off to work top-speed. Kakashi hears the rumble of his motorcycle start up distantly and the fading roar as Obito zooms down the road. He sits up slowly, glancing down at the sheets, and just sort of stares.

_‘I love you, too,’_ he remembers.

“Obito.”

He swallows a couple times but his throat remains dry.

Is it love? How is he supposed to know. Fuck.

Are they in love?

Isn’t it too soon? They’ve only been dating for a couple of weeks. Aren’t things going too fast? They don’t know everything about each other. Kakashi hasn’t met all of Obito’s partners, or his family. But then, Obito hasn’t met Kakashi’s. There’s plenty they still haven’t talked about. There’s so much to know.

The thought makes him anxious, a little nervous. Well, a lot nervous, and a lot anxious, until he remembers Obito’s words again.

_‘I said I love you, too.’_

Kakashi remembers overthinking dating Obito, and considers the way they handled that.

Things don't have to be complicated, or difficult, with Obito. 

Well. Alright, then.

“I guess it’s love.”


End file.
